Pulse
by Reiver
Summary: A BrennanEmma story with some action thrown in for good measure!
1. Default Chapter

PULSE

"Hey Emma!" Shalimar called.   
Emma looked up from the computer monitor where she had been busy typing up a report for Adam. Shalimar was standing in the doorway all dressed up for going out, she looked as sexy as ever.   
"Going out?" Emma asked with a smile.   
"Yeah," Shalimar replied as she sauntered into the room, "Me and the guys are heading out for a party."   
"That's nice," Emma said in a distracted way already beginning to concentrate on the computer screen.   
Shalimar rolled her eyes at her friend's diligence then, with a gleam in her eye, she whisked Emma's chair around until she was facing her.   
"Hey!" Emma cried.   
"You're coming with us," Shalimar told her.   
"I'm working," Emma told her, speaking slowly as if to a child.   
Shalimar sighed and pulled the chair again as Emma tried to turn back to the computer.   
"You're always working lately, it's time to have some fun!"   
"Really Shalimar," Emma tried to explain, "I have to finish this for Adam!"   
"Don't be silly! Adam won't mind a bit! Now, no more excuses!"   
Shalimar pulled Emma to her feet and through the door. Emma finally gave in and told her to give her ten minutes to get ready. The feral watched her friend disappear into her bedroom then went to join their friends.   
"Is she coming?" Jesse asked.   
"Of course," Shalimar smiled, "I'm very persuasive!"   
Brennan laughed at that and gave her a knowing smile. Shalimar stuck her tongue out at him and sat down beside Jesse.   
Brennan watched his two friends as they cheerfully poked fun at one another. A while ago he would have been a little jealous at their easy friendship. There was a time when Shalimar and he were almost an item but somehow that had just become a very close friendship and to be honest Brennan was glad. He loved Shalimar's passion and her prowess but he had come to realise he wanted someone gentler, less aggressive.   
"About time!" Jesse suddenly said, breaking into his thoughts.   
"I was only ten minutes," Emma said from the doorway, "How many women do you know that can do that?"   
Brennan didn't hear what else they said as he looked at Emma. _Really_ looked, as if he had never seen her before. She wore simple black jeans with boots and a long sleeved top of a deep burgundy colour that brought out the creaminess of her skin. He almost laughed aloud when the realisation hit him - it was Emma he wanted.   
"Right, let's go!" Shalimar said as she and Jesse stood up, walking past Emma.   
Brennan stood up slowly, letting his eyes move over Emma. Over her long legs, her slender hips, her flat stomach...   
"What are you looking at?" Emma asked suddenly breaking his train of thought.   
Brennan looked her in the eyes and gave her one of his most charming smiles that usually had women melting in his arms.   
"Are you okay? Not coming down with something I hope!" She looked at him in concern and his smile slipped.   
How could he seduce someone who knew him so well? But then again she didn't know all of him - but he could remedy that.   
With that thought in mind he felt better and he and Emma went to join their friends.

Brennan scowled at Jesse as his friend walked out the door. All he had wanted was a sparring partner but Jesse was too busy; Shalimar was with Adam and Emma was out - again.   
The party they had gone to over two weeks ago had been an absolute disaster in his mind. No sooner had they got there than an old friend of Emma's had taken her away and Brennan had been left standing on his own.   
Turned out the old 'friend' turned out to be an old 'boyfriend' way back in college and by the conversation and looks they had given each other all night there was still some little spark there.   
In fact, for the past two weeks Emma had been out seeing her friend every night she could, which had been too many for Brennan's liking.   
"Damn!" he said to the air in general.   
Deciding he needed to work out some of his irritation he went to work out on his own. Giving the punch bag a pounding might just make him feel a little better.   
Practicing his kicks and punches, his mind drifted and he kept seeing images of Emma. Emma smiling; Emma laughing at a joke; Emma still sleepy and tousled first thing in the morning; Emma in someone else's arms; Emma loving someone else.   
A sudden hot anger spurted through him and his kicks and punches became stronger and faster while he gritted his teeth against the rush of emotion.

Emma arrived back at Sanctuary with a sigh of relief. There was nothing like coming home after a day out.   
She smiled as she thought of David and their day together. It had been such a surprise to see him at the party and she remembered fondly when they had dated. It hadn't really been serious, they were so young, but they had stayed friends afterwards.   
Emma frowned slightly as she remembered something else about the party. Brennan. Brennan had seemed so happy and eager to be out at the start of the evening but by the end he was silent and brooding. She had seen him at the party by himself and she had been somewhat surprised to find him watching her every time she looked around but had thought no more of it.   
But she thought about it now. She didn't know why he had been watching her and he had changed since then. She couldn't read his emotions like she could the others, it was as if he was putting up a wall she couldn't get through.   
You didn't need to be empathic to know something was bothering him though. She had been so wrapped up in David that she hadn't thought to talk to him so she decided the next time she saw him she would coax it out of him.   
Hearing sounds coming from the gym she looked in to see Brennan attacking the punch bag with his feet and fists. It was the only way to describe it, as if the punch bag was his enemy.   
"Brennan!" Emma called out.   
Brennan didn't hear her as he continued to pound the bag. His limbs were heavy with fatigue but he didn't stop - he wanted to blot out these feelings he had.   
He whirled around as a hand touched his shoulder and only stopped just in time before he struck Emma with his fist.   
"Hey!" Emma laughed, "Nice reflexes! I'm sorry if I startled you. You were concentrating so hard."   
Brennan stepped away from her, not wanting to stand so close to her. He wanted to grab her and crush her lips with his, to hold her so tight she'd never let go but he took a deep breath and put some distance between them.   
Emma's smile slipped a little as she saw Brennan back off a little. "What is it Brennan?" she asked him, "Is there something you want to talk about?"   
"Can't you tell Emma?" Brennan said a bit more curtly than he meant, "Or has David addled your brain?"   
"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma demanded, a little hurt.   
Brennan frowned at her and tried to keep his emotions under check but he was failing - why couldn't she see how he felt?   
"I mean," he began, his control slipping, "that ever since you met David again that's all you seem to think about! Your friends don't seem to matter any more!"   
"That's not true! Why are saying that?" Emma cried, tears springing to her eyes.   
"Because..." Brennan began then stopped, turning away.   
Emma grabbed his arm, "Please Brennan, I'm still your friend but you're shutting me out! I can't even tell how you're feeling!"   
Brennan turned quickly around and grabbed Emma's face between both hands.   
"Do you want to know how I feel Emma?" he said his control now gone, "Well, how about now? Can you feel now?"   
Emma gasped when Brennan grabbed her then cried out as his emotions hit her. They were so strong she could feel them pounding her mind like a storm.   
He was shouting at her but she couldn't hear the words all she could do was feel - anger, confusion, hurt, betrayal. All the things Brennan had been holding back crashed over her causing her to cry out in pain.   
"Please," she whispered, "stop!"   
But Brennan didn't hear her as he continued his onslaught. It was only when Emma fainted that he could focus properly again and cradled her limp body.   
"Oh my god," he sobbed, "What have I done?"

Emma woke up slowly, letting each of her senses come alive in their own time. She moaned softly when she opened her eyes and the light felt like daggers stabbing into them. She cried out a little louder when she became aware of the mother of all headaches pounding in her skull.   
"How do you feel?" Adam's warm voice asked her.   
She opened her eyes and focused on his face as he peered down at her with concern.   
"Headache," Emma said, smiling.   
He disappeared from her view and she slowly pushed herself to a sitting position, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. Her head pounded even worse at this change of position but subsided a little after a moment.   
"Here," Adam said as he handed her a glass of water and a couple of painkillers.   
She took them gratefully then handed back the glass when she was done. Adam took it silently and placed it on the table beside them before looking at Emma.   
"Would you like to tell me what happened?"   
Emma shook her head slightly and shrugged, "I'm not really sure what happened, it's hard to remember it properly. Where's Brennan?"   
Adam sighed, "We heard him shouting for help, we found you unconscious in his arms. I asked him what happened and he just kept saying he was sorry, over and over."   
Emma frowned and looked thoughtfully into the distance, "I came in after being out with David. I heard Brennan in the gym so I went to speak to him. He seemed really angry with me for some reason!"   
"Do you know why?"   
"No, I don't. He said that I was ignoring my friends ever since I met David again, but I haven't!"   
Adam laid a calming hand on her shoulder, "I know you haven't. It sounds like Brennan might be a little jealous."   
Emma laughed, "Jealous of me? I don't think so!"   
"No, I meant he was jealous of David."   
Emma gaped at him but before she could say anything else he was ordering her to her room to rest.   
Lying on her bed she tried to sleep but Adam's words kept going through her mind. She had thought Adam had meant Brennan was jealous of the fact she had a life outside of Sanctuary not that he wanted Emma himself! That was absurd!   
She thought back to earlier on and tried to find some clue as to his behaviour. When his emotions had hit her they had been so strong that she hadn't been able to recognise individual feelings. But now she could work through them slowly.   
He had been angry - didn't need to be empathic to know that - there were also feeling of frustration and helplessness and...   
Emma opened her eyes abruptly and gasped aloud. She could sense it now - there had also been love. Brennan did love her! But how did she feel about him?   
He was a great friend, loyal and brave, he could make you laugh at loud when he was in the right mood. He took their missions a little too seriously sometimes but then so did she. When he was around you always felt safe and protected.   
Sighing in frustration Emma closed her eyes and resolved to get some sleep and wait until she saw Brennan again. But what if Brennan never came back?


	2. PulsePart 2

Pulse

Part 2

Brennan stared into the liquid in his glass, watching the way the light reflected off its surface. He didn't notice any of the people sitting at the bar beside him or hear any of the conversations going on around him, he was lost in his own thoughts.

Two days he had been gone from Sanctuary, at first just driving on his bike then finally when exhaustion overtook him he had stopped at a motel. He was only the other side of the city from his friends but he might as well have been the other side of the world for all they could find him. When Brennan didn't want to be found he could stay lost for good if he wanted.

And he wanted to be lost. So he could never see Emma's face twisted in pain again – pain he had caused. He still couldn't figure out what had happened. The only thing he could come up with was her usual defenses must have been down probably after enjoying herself with David.

David! The very thought of him set Brennan's anger aflame again. Everything would have been fine if it hadn't been for Emma's old boyfriend showing up just at the wrong time. Emma would be his now. His to hold, to kiss when he wanted, to make love to..

But not now, she wouldn't want him now, not after what he did. He downed the drink left in his glass then got unsteadily off the bar stool, surprised that he had drunk so much without noticing.

Making his way to the exit he stopped in his tracks when he saw a vaguely familiar face with a rather beautiful blonde woman on his arm who were also heading outside. Brennan swayed slightly as he stood staring then angrily began to shove his way through the crowd after them.

He got to the street and looked either way before spotting the couple just turning down the corner a short distance ahead. He hurried after them, his anger growing as he followed. Turning the corner into an alley he saw them heading towards a car.

"David!" Brennan called out.

The man turned around and smiled slightly when he saw Brennan walking towards him. "It's Brennan, right? One of Emma's friends?"

Brennan stopped in front of him, "That's right. You remember Emma – your girlfriend."

David looked at Brennan in amusement, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he was obviously drunk and very angry.

"How could I forget such a beautiful woman. I mean, she was cute in college but now... What a man could do with that sweet thing!"

Brennan raised his hands, the electricity playing over his fingers, "You son of a ..." he began but abruptly stopped and felt the back of his neck. Turning around he looked at the blonde woman as she calmly slipped the syringe she had injected him with back into her bag. Brennan fell to his knees, looking in astonishment at David.

"You see Mr Mulwray," David began explaining, "It was no accident that I met with Emma again. The people I work for want her but I think they will be even happier if I give them you."

Brennan struggled to stand up but his body refused to cooperate and finally darkness took him as he collapsed unconscious to the pavement.

David looked down at him thoughtfully, "Love makes fools of us all, my friend."


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, first of all, let me apologise for leaving this story for so long! I didn't have a computer for a long time and I've had to do some catching up with other things. I know, I know it's a feeble excuse but I'm here now so let's get on with the story!

PULSE (part 3)

Emma bolted upright in her bed, her heart racing. Something had woken her but she didn't know what. Looking around her room she saw nothing amiss and relaxed putting it all down to a bad dream but somehow she couldn't get rid of her feeling of unease. Dressing quickly she left her room to find Shalimar in the corridor looking for something.

"What are you looking for?"

Shalimar turned to Emma with a distracted look. "I don't know. I can feel something…" She trailed off as she continued to wander along the corridor.

Emma followed trying to sense what her friend was obviously sensing.

"It's like," Shalimar continued, "It's like the air is charged."

Emma frowned, "How do you mean?"

Shalimar stopped her prowling for the moment. "It's like what I feel after Brennan has used his power but only much stronger."

"I've never felt anything."

Shalimar smiled, "That's because you're not a feral."

"Do you know where it's coming from?"

"I'm not sure. It seems to be getting stronger closer to the outside door."

They moved down the corridor towards the door and were joined by Adam and Jesse, quickly telling them what Shalimar could sense.

"If it's someone outside then surely the alarms would have went off by now," Jesse said to Adam.

As Adam went off to check the security monitors the others stopped in front of the door. Shalimar placed one hand on the door then quickly stepped back as she got a shock from it. Even Emma and Jesse could feel the charge in the air now as their hair began to stand up slightly.

Suddenly the door blasted inwards and they were flung backwards to land in an untidy heap. Shalimar was instantly on her feet and saw that Emma was unconscious but Jesse was struggling to his feet, shaking his head slightly. Before either of them could do anything an electric bolt blasted both of them and sent them slamming into the wall.

Before Shalimar slipped into unconsciousness she saw Brennan step into Sanctuary as the smoke cleared but she was out before she could see him go to Emma's side and pick her limp form up.

Emma woke up slowly unaware of what had happened. As she woke up fully she panicked slightly as she realised she was strapped to a hospital bed. After struggling futilely for a moment she calmed herself and looked around to see if she could figure out where she was.

It was a small hospital room that looked like a thousand others she had seen with the one exception of having no window. A monitor was beside her although it wasn't in use at that time and she didn't want to know if it was supposed to be for her. She was still clothed apart from her shoes, which she assumed was for the purpose of strapping her ankles to the bed rail.

Listening carefully she could faintly hear voices coming from outside her room but when she opened herself up there were too many emotions and feelings washing over her that she quickly blocked it all out. Where ever this place was there were an awful lot of people suffering.

Footsteps approached the door and it opened as Brennan came in. "Brennan!" she cried out then she stopped and looked at him, "Brennan?"

When Brennan looked at her there was nothing in his eyes, they were completely blank. She tentatively reached out to him with her mind but pulled back as she felt the raging tumult inside of him. He was screaming inside but couldn't find a release.

Despite her own predicament Emma couldn't help shedding a tear at this, "Oh Brennan, what have they done to you?"

"Oh come now Emma," a familiar voice drawled, " We haven't done anything to him!"

David stepped into the room along with a blonde woman she had never seen before. He came to her side, brushing past Brennan as if he was nothing, and smiled down at her.

"It's just a little experimental drug we're trying on him. Something to make him obedient, you might say."

Emma stared at him as if she had never seen him before – she couldn't believe her old friend was behind this. David's smile slipped a little as she continued to stare and say nothing.

"Aren't you wondering why I've brought you here?" he demanded, "Why your friend has turned against you? Well, that one's easy- because I made him! Although he did put up quite a fight and all that power he has! Yes, he's going to be quite useful!" He looked almost fatherly towards Brennan who still stood looking blankly at Emma.

Emma looked pleadingly at David, "You can't keep using him like that! If he uses too much of his power he'll burn himself out!"

"Really?" David asked, obviously intrigued by this idea.

"Please," Emma pleaded, "You have me, let Brennan go!"

David chuckled to himself and turned to the blonde woman, "Why I do believe she loves him!"

As David and the blonde woman laughed together Emma looked in anguish towards Brennan – who looked back at her, but then the blank look slid back. Emma blinked, not certain what she had seen.

"What do you want from us?" Emma asked.

"That's simple, my dear Emma," David said as he trailed a finger up her arm, "I want what's in here." He placed his hand on each side of her face and searched her eyes as if looking for something. "I want what you can do."

Emma struggled against his hands but he held her firmly. "I want you to work for me," he continued, "but I knew after meeting you again that you wouldn't do it willingly. But I have ways, you might say."

"Are you going to drug me like Brennan?" she demanded.

"Unfortunately I can't do that." David sighed, still holding her face but now one hand was stroking her cheek, "The drug we used on him traps the mind inside itself leaving him susceptible to orders. Now, don't look at me like that," he chided when her look changed to one of horror, "He was never that deep anyway."

"You're a monster!" Emma finally managed to gasp.

David gave her a little smile then leant down and kissed her as she struggled against her bonds.

Brennan raged and stormed against the drug that left him helpless. He couldn't stop himself from obeying David's orders no matter how he fought.

He had woken up, just as Emma had, in a hospital bed but he hadn't need restraints as the drug had been administered already. His memory was fuzzy about what had occurred after waking up but he could clearly remember going back to Sanctuary and kidnapping Emma.

His mind was clearer now but he still couldn't gain control of himself, which angered and frustrated him but worse, he felt guilty about attacking his own friends and now Emma lay helpless and he couldn't do anything. He could only stand and watch, just as helpless as if he'd been tied to a bed.

He continued to fight inside while his outside appearance was that of an empty shell but he was aware of everything and he had heard David's little joke to his colleague about Emma loving him. For just a brief moment he had felt his control back as he had looked into Emma's eyes but then his mind howled in frustration as he lost it again.

Could it be possible? Could Emma love me despite what I had done to her? These thoughts pounded in his brain as he fought on. But then he calmed when something Emma had said tugged at him 'he'll burn himself out' she had said and slowly an idea formed.

When David had bent down and kissed Emma no one noticed the electricity sparking from his fingertips or the look of hatred that crossed his face. Brennan forced his mind to calm even though he wanted to do nothing more than to pound David to a bloody mass with his own fists. He focused his power and let it course through his body, heating his blood so the drug burned away to leave not a trace.

Emma tried to pull away from David's kiss but he held her tight. She tried to bite him but he jerked away in time and only laughed at her. He patted her cheek and straightened up, he opened his mouth to speak but his companion interrupted him.

Turning he saw Brennan convulsing as electric bolts shot up and down his body until he slumped to the ground in a heap. Emma screamed from the bed but David ignored her, bending down to check Brennan.

"Damn!" he said as he stood up, "Oh well, he was useful for a while. Get the orderlies to take him to the morgue." Turning to a shocked Emma he smiled then he and the blonde woman left the room.

Emma stared at the door in shock. Brennan couldn't be dead! He just couldn't! She tried to see him where he lay but the restraints made it impossible and she screamed in her frustration and grief. She thrashed her body and pulled at the straps in an effort to be free but eventually she grew tired.

Falling back onto her pillows she almost didn't notice that one of the restraints had loosened a little, just enough for her to squeeze her hand out with a little skin left behind. Quickly undoing the other straps she slid from the bed onto the floor beside the prone body of her friend.

She turned him over on to his back and shook him slightly.

"Brennan!" she cried, "Brennan, please wake up! You can't be dead!" She pressed her fingers to his neck but couldn't feel a pulse, sobbing she hugged him.

She couldn't believe this was happening. How could everything go so badly? She realised now that David had just been a friend to her and nothing more, although she realised now his overtures of friendship had all been a ruse. However, it had drawn attention to the fact that she was lonely and needed someone special in her life. How ironic that she found out to late whom that special someone was.

It was Brennan she loved. Brennan with his smile. Brennan who was so loyal to his friends. Brennan who loved her. Crying she leant down to kiss him, her tears falling on his face.

"I love you," she whispered.

That's it for now folks but don't worry – as you're reading this I'm working on the next part!


End file.
